H.R. 312 is such a law--founded in justice and humanity--to prevent further wrongs being done to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.

So, just for the record, it is good that the Rhode Island people know that you are not opposing a casino on the other side of your border and the revenues that might be lost according to your arguments.

So, you are in favor of a casino from Massachusetts on the other side of the border then?

What I am saying is that there are impacts on Rhode Island from having fee-to-trust conversions.

I will inform you. They were in support of those bills, so the congressional delegation from Rhode Island supported the very same legislation as this.

I wish to begin by expressing my appreciation to Representatives Tom Cole and Betty McCollum for continuing to press in a bipartisan way for this important legislation.

I would respectfully urge Congress to explain that it meant what it said in 1994 and amend the IRA to provide absolute clarity that the Secretary of the Interior has authority to restore land for all federally recognized tribal nations in…

Time is of the essence.

Thank you, Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Cook, the distinguished members of the Committee for inviting me to speak today about H.R. 312, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act.

I think it's a particularly sad statement that 400 years later they still have to defend against attacks on their lands.

This bipartisan legislation would direct the Department of the Interior to keep 320 acres of Mashpee Wampanoag land in southeastern Massachusetts in trust as federally recognized reservation land.